Blue shells in Mario Kart 64 were uncommon enough to rarely be an issue. One or two item boxes spawned them consistently, but if you were good enough to actually reach them, you were probably in first or second place anyway.

I stopped caring about Mario Kart about the time it turned into Mario Party on wheels. And now apparently my main character is locked away beyond a bukkake of blue shells. Lovely.

I was 1st the whole of the fourth race in a 150cc GP. I'd managed 1st in all three races previous, through great skill at avoidance. Then, in the third lap, blue shell, then a lightning bolt hit me in mid air calling me to fall to my doom, right before the end of the race. Limped across the finish line in 6th place and 2nd overall. I just want to unlock these characters, is that so much to ask?

Jerec, I've had similar things happen to me a few times. It's not an infrequent occurrence. It's a common one and it's irritating as heck. I know that I can keep playing and eventually--not through improved skill, as I'm already pretty good--I will unlock all of the characters because the game will randomly decide to treat me nice. But we've come a long ways from when Super Mario Kart was so addictive because all I needed to do was get better. If Nintendo would just fix that one thing... but I don't think that's in the cards. I hope there's a Mario Kart for Wii U and that it's excellent, but my level of confidence in the series has dropped. At least I'll always have Super Mario Kart.

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto

Worst thing is really how many weapons will make you drop your items. I know if you have a boost, you can avoid the blue shell, but you rarely get them in first place, and chances are you'd lose it just before you get hit with the blue shell.

I haven't read your review because I'm in the process of typing up my own, but I couldn't resist reading the comments. I too am finding myself more frustrated with the game than I am enjoying it. It seems like in Mario Kart, versus other games, you're penalized for doing well and rewarded for poor play. I have really been a great supporter of the series, but I can't say I'm enjoying this release very much and will probably give it a deserved 6/10.

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